"I love the feeling of taking part in a movement instead of going at it alone,” says Lauren Nagy, who co-founded the community farm Cooperative 518 with her fiancé in 2013. “We wanted to give our friends and peers a chance to be an equal in our vision,” she explains. That vision was to turn a nine-acre piece of land into a hub for ethically produced food and education on environmentally responsible living.

“A cooperative model is important to us because it is the business-minded foundation for our budding agrarian community,” Nagy explains. “There is a constant forum for improvement and inspiration from the shared visions of members.” She believes co-ops are especially necessary in cities like Philadelphia where space and resources are limited. “This model allows for fair and effective sharing and pooling of resources,” she says. “It encourages cooperation and fellowship over competition and separation.”